bowser



(No Model.) 3 sheets-sheer. 1'.

J. BOWSBBL. RAILWAY4 GATE. No. 406,387. ltented July 2 1889;.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. BOWSER. RAILWAY GATE.

m M w NI PEERShPhhloLiibogmpher. Washngiml, D. C.

(NoMoael.) 3 sheetsL-sheet 3.

J. BOWsB-R.

RAILWAY GATE. No. 406,387. /f-jr Patented mi 2, 1889.

l f i' /lr' v o ,CWB/Nam 23 l JZnou/-scr N. PETERS. Phum-Limagmpmr, Washington, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN BOVSER, OF MARION, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF PART TO OHN IV. RICHARDSON, GEORGE IV. RICHARDSON, GEORGE IV. PRATT, AND J. L. THORNTON, ALL OF SAME PLACE.

RAI LWAY-GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 406,387, dated July 2, 1889.

Application filed April 19, 1889. Serial No. 307,711. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN HOWSER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Marion, in the county of Smyth and State of I/Iirginia, have invented a new and useful Railway- Gate, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to railway-gates, the object being to provide a gate and mechanism for operating the same, so as to close the gate at the approach of a train and open the same after the train has passed.

The invention consists in certain features of construction and combination of parts, hereinafter specified, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure-1 is a perspective view of a railway gate provided with my improved mechanism. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a detail in perspective of one of the spring-treads. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the gate and its operating mechanism, and Fig. 5 is a detail hereinafter described.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the ligures.

If desired, I may duplicate the gate at the other side of the track, the only requisite being that a suitable connecting mechanism be employed, the gate actuating mechanism hereinafter specied serving to operate both gates.

1 represents an ordinary railroad-track, at the side, or it may be at the sides, of which and at a crossing there is located alongitundinal beam or base 2. At one end of the beam are arranged inclined uprights 3 at each side of the beam, and at the opposite end a post 4, the -upper end of which is transversely slotted, as at 5. Between the upright 3 and post 5 upon the beam 2 is located a bifurcated post or standard 6 5 or, if desired, an equivalent space may be formed by the arrangement of opposite posts. Diagonal bars 7 extend from the center post 6, and are secured at their upper ends to the upper ends of the inclined uprights S represents the gate-bar, which is pivoted at 9 to the intermediate post 6 within the bifurcations thereof, the outer end of the bar being designed to extend across the space between the posts 6 and 4 and to rest in t-he bifurcation 5 of the latter post. The rear end of the bar 8 is weighted at 10, so that if not otherwise influenced the bar would be maintained in a vertical position.

Pivoted at 11 in the diagonal braces 7, and above the bar 8, is a rock arm or lever 12, having a central upwardly-extending arm 13 and a rear shorter arm 14. The lever 12 is connected by a link 15 to the gate-bar S in rear of its pivot 9, and from the rear end of the arm 14E of the lever there depends a loose rod 16, the lower end of which is journaled in a pivoted arm 17, secured to the base 2.

18 represents a curved spring-tread, which is arranged upon the sides of the rails 1, and consists of the central thickened port-ion 19, having a central depending arm 20,provided with a laterally-proj ecting pin 21 and the opposite reduced spring portions 22,the ends of the tread being flattened and provided with elongated slots 23. Through these slots are passed bearing-pins 24, the ends of which enter the rails. (See Figs. 2 and 5.)

Upon a tie or other base 25, projecting from one side of the track,there is mounted a rockshaft 2G in bearings 27. shaft is provided witha rock-arm 2S, having an elongated slot 29 at its free end, which takes over the laterally-projectin g pin formed on the depending arm of the spring-tread. The opposite end of the rock-shaft 26 is provided with a longer arm 80, which extends upwardly and into a plane with the base 2.

Pivoted to the intermediate post 6 is a latch 3l, to the lower end of which is pivoted a connecting-rod 32, the opposite end of which is loosely connected with the rock-arm 30, said connecting-rod acting to actuate the latch. The latch is arranged in the path of a projecting pin 33, extending from the gate-bar 8, and is adapted to retain the gate-bar in a closed position, the latch being under a normal tension furnished by the spring-tread and communicated through the rockshaft, its rock-arms, and the connecting-bar described. Beyond the crossing I locate a second or closing tread 34, the same being similar in construction to the first-mentioned tread and consisting of the thickened portion 34, having The inner end of the ICO a central depending arm 45, the opposite reduced portions 4G, and theslotted ends 47.

Upon a base 35 is mounted a rock-shaft 3G in bearings 37, said shaft terminating in bent rock-arms 38 and 39,the former being slotted at 40 to receive the laterally-extending pin 49 on the central arm of the spring-tread, and the opposite rock-arm extending upwardly, and by a wire or other connecting means 41 being connected to the arm 13 of the lever 12. (See Figs. 1 and 3.)

A train approaching iirst comes in contact with the spring-tread last described, which may be arranged at any distance from the crossing, and the drive-wheels of the locomotive, striking the tread, depress the saine against the tension of its springs and oscillate the rock-shaft 3G, drawing the rock-arm 39 to the rear. This in turn draws upon the wire 41, and through the medium ot the arm 13 the lever 12 is raised, and from thence the strainv is communicated to the rear end of the gate-bar 8 and the gate is closed. The wheels of the locomotive now come in contact with the gate-opening spring-tread 1S and compress the same, oscillating the rock-shaft and its rock-arms, the outer one of which rockarms 2G draws the connecting-rod 32, which in turn draws upon the lower end of the latch, and serves to disconnect the saine from the projecting' pin with which the gate-bar S is provided. raise the gate to a vertical or open position.

The tread 34 is duplicated at the opposite side of the crossing wherethe track is single, and in that case,to prevent a departing' train from closing the gate after it has passed by the crossing by coming in contact with the tread 34, I bend that end of each tread which is nearest the gate, as at 41, so that t-he iiange of the wheel of the departing train will enter between the rails and the spring-tread and force the same laterally upon its bearing-pins away from the rails. To permit this lateral movement upon the pins, I insert between the head ofthe pins 42 a Washer 43 and a coiled spring 44, which serves to return the springtread after the train has passed to a position adapted to be operated by a train coming in the opposite direction.

The opposite companion spring-tread is provided with a duplicate rock-shaft 31S and rock-arms, to the outer one of which is connected the lower end of the pivoted arm 17 by means of a connecting wire or rod 4F, extending under the base 2.

This permits the weight 10 to' Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. The combination, with the rail 1,11aving the laterally-projecting pins 42,01 the springtread 34, having the central thicken ed portion 34, the otfsetted portion 4l, and the reduced intermediate spring portions 46, terminating in slots 47 and mounted on the pins, substantially as specified. A

2. The combination, with the rail 1, having the projecting pins 42, terminating in heads, of the tread 34, having the intermediate spring portions 4G, slotted ends 47, mounted on the pins, the intermediate outwardlycurved portion 41,, and the coiled springs 44, interposed between the heads and the tread, substantially as speciiied.

3. The combination, with the gate-frame provided with a gate, and a latch adapted to operateuipon a pin projecting from the gate, of a connecting-rod, as 32, a rock-arm connected with the rod and mounted upon a rocksliatt provided with an opposite slotted arm, and a'spring-tread pivoted to the rail and connected with the rock-arm, substantially as specified.

4. The combination, with the signal-'f rame, of a gate pivoted therein, a three-armed lever pivoted in rear ot the gate and having the front one of its arins connected therewith, oppositelyarranged spring-treads, each ot' which is connected to one of its remaining arms and adapted to operate the same to close the gate, and an interm ediately-arran ged spring-tread adapted to operate a rock-shaf t for releasing the gate, substantially as speci-- fied.

5. The combination, with the rail 1, provided with the opposite treads 34,1ock-shafts 30, and rock-arms 39, of the gate-frame having the pivoted gate, the lever 12, mounted in rear of the gate and having arms 13 and 14, the rod 41, connecting the arm 13 and the rock-arm ot one of the shafts 3G, a rod 1G, connecting the arm 14 to a pivoted arm 1 7, and the rod 4G, connecting the lower end ofthe arm 17 to the opposite rock-arm 3G, substantially as specified. i

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aiiixed my signature in presence ot two witnesses.

" JOHN Titnessesz IE. Il. (lernst-ravira, C. E. R'rcI-Innnson.

SOVVSER.

TOO 

